Whew, another longer-than-normal Spotlight for February 6th! There were titles that I just didn’t have time to feature this week, so I have left them on my list in the hopes that I can fill them in on later February 2024 Spotlights. Some weeks do tend to be longer than others, so hopefully we’ll have some shorter weeks coming up.
We have new titles this week from some major authors, including a new picture book from Dave Eggers, fresh off his Newbery win for The Eyes & The Impossible. There’s a new Mo Willems title, as well as a previously-unpublished picture book from the late Maurice Sendak.
My top picture book pick this week is Go Forth and Tell: The Life of Augusta Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller by Breanna J. McDaniel.
I have not read this one yet, but just looking at the front cover and the Amazon preview, I can tell the illustrations are incredible! The illustrator is April Harrison, a previous Coretta Scott King – John Steptoe winner for new talent. I have put it on-hold at my public library to have a closer look.
Links to the Google Slides presentation, printable list, and Ginormous are at the bottom of this post.
You will also find links to the YA and Middle Grade Spotlights for this week at the bottom of this post.
Author: Dave Eggers
Publication Date: February 6, 2024
Genre: animal stories, picture book
Recommended for: Grades 1-6
Themes: humpback whales, music, perseverance
Protagonist: young humpback whale
Starred reviews: Publishers Weekly and Booklist
Pages: 56
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
Soren, a young humpback whale, loves music but is tired of the dull, droning, endless songs that are frustratingly popular among the adult whales he knows.
He has ideas for better songs: shorter, up-tempo tunes with snare drums and even maracas. Unfortunately, every time he shares his new tunes with his friends, he’s met with less than encouraging feedback and even a bit of discreet whale vomiting.
In this upbeat story of resilience and tenacity, Dave Eggers offers readers of all ages essential creative advice: your first drafts are probably terrible.
Author: NoNieqa Ramos
Illustrator: Nicole Medina
Publication date: February 6, 2024
Genre: picture book biography
Setting: Puerto Rico and Bronx, New York City, New York, USA; 1930s-1970s
Recommended for: Grades K-5
Themes: changemakers, sisters, activism, librarians, social problems, bilingual
Protagonist: 3 sisters, Puerto Rican
Starred reviews: Booklist
Pages: 32
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
Meet the Tres Hermanas: Evelina Antonetty, Lillian López, and Elba Cabrera.
They moved from Puerto Rico to New York City as children and grew up to become leaders in their Bronx community.
Evelina, an activist for social causes, founded United Bronx Parents.
Lillian became a librarian and administrator who fought for Spanish and bilingual books and Spanish-speaking library staff.
Elba worked closely with Evelina and became an ambassador and advocate for the arts.
Author: Natasha Tripplett
Illustrator: Monica Mikai
Publication Date: February 6, 2024
Genre: picture book
Setting: Jamaica
Recommended for: PreS-Grade 3
Themes: fixing up old cars, trucks, grandfathers, happy memories
Protagonist: young girl and her grandfather, both Black
Starred reviews: Kirkus
Pages: 40
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
Ju-Girl’s favorite days are the ones spent with Granddad in his garage, fixing cars and hearing stories about his old blue pickup.
Granddad used to drive the blue pickup all over the island, bringing happiness to many. And now it just sits in the driveway.
One day, Ju-Girl asks Granddad if he’d ever fix it, and he’s unsure at first.
But the pair soon finds out just what it takes to restore the memory of the blue pickup and to create new stories along the way.
Author: Mo Willems
Publication date: February 6, 2024
Genre: picture book
Recommended for: PreS-Grade 3
Themes: size comparisons, geometric shapes, one-upmanship
Protagonist: stick figures with colorful faces
Starred reviews: Kirkus and Publishers Weekly
Pages: 32
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
Are YOU big?
A simple question sends readers to the far reaches of the universe.
From an average-size kid…to a hot air balloon…to a storm cloud…to the M100 Galaxy, size is a matter of perspective.
Author: Breanna J. McDaniel
Illustrator: April Harrison
Publication Date: February 6, 2024
Genre: picture book biography
Setting: Baltimore, Maryland and New York Public Library in Harlem; 1911-1998
Recommended for: PreS-Grade 3
Themes: storytelling, librarians, classic literature, bookish, teachers, Black history, Black authors, racism, lack books for Black children
Protagonist: Augusta Braxton Baker, female, African American, librarian
Starred reviews: Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Booklist
Pages: 40
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
Before Augusta Braxton Baker became a storyteller, she was an excellent story listener.
Her grandmother brought stories like Br’er Rabbit and Arthur and Excalibur to life, teaching young Augusta that when there’s a will, there’s always a way.
When she grew up, Mrs. Baker began telling her own fantastical stories to children at the 135th Street branch of the New York Public Library in Harlem.
But she noticed that there were hardly any books at the library featuring Black people in respectful, uplifting ways. Thus began her journey of championing books, writers, librarians, and teachers centering Black stories, educating and inspiring future acclaimed authors like Audre Lorde and James Baldwin along the way.
Author: Clara Anganuzzi
Illustrator: Clara Anganuzzi
Publication date: February 6, 2024
Genre: picture book
Setting: island surrounded by coral
Recommended for: PreS-Grade 3
Themes: coral reefs, climate change, pollution, destruction of coral, marine biology, based on a true story
Protagonist: young girl and her mother, both have brown skin
Starred reviews: SLJ
Pages: 32
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
Ayla lives on a beautiful tropical island surrounded by a coral reef.
Her mom is a marine biologist, and every day, the two go exploring together.
One day, Ayla notices that many of the fish have disappeared, and the once-vibrant corals have turned pale.
She and her mom set out to save the corals–but is it too late?
Author: Shawn Harris
Illustrator: Shawn Harris
Publication Date: February 6, 2024
Genre: picture book, fantasy
Setting: faraway land, unicorn palace
Recommended for: PreS-Grade 3
Themes: unicorns, siblings, taunts from siblings, small size, kingdoms, palaces, gnomes
Protagonist: tiny pink unicorn
Starred reviews: Kirkus and Booklist
Pages: 48
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
Once upon a time, in a land where horses were mythical beasts, there lived a unicorn—a Teeny-Weeny Unicorn.
He lived with his family in a palace—one that was extra-large for him, full of extra-large rugs and extra-large food.
And when his brother and sister played chess, they used him in place of a pawn.
When it’s just too much to take, Teeny-Weeny Unicorn runs away—and has a chance encounter with a salty gnome.
It’s then that he suddenly starts to wonder… IS he teeny weeny? Or is he just the right size?
Author: Maurice Sendak
Illustrator: Maurice Sendak
Publication date: February 6, 2024
Genre: picture book (nearly wordless)
Recommended for: PreS-Grade 3
Themes: magic shows, counting from 1-10 forward and backward, counting book, overcoming obstacles, frustration
Protagonist: young boy, white
Starred reviews: SLJ and Publishers Weekly
Pages: 32
Notes: Posthumously published. Originally created as a miniature pamphlet for a museum fundraiser.
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
Maurice Sendak’s legacy continues with this playful counting extravaganza for the youngest child.
Here is a small reader’s introduction to the magic of Mr. Sendak’s books—a journey that will continue for many years to come.
Prepare to be…
Amazed…
Dazzled…
And mesmerized by Mino’s magic show!
THE LINKS YOU’LL NEED FOR FEBRUARY
- February 2024 – Picture Books – Google Slides presentation – click “use template” to make a copy – share with students and teachers!
- Printable list of all February 2024 Spotlight titles – sorted by genre and grade level group; click “use template” to make a copy. This list is now complete for February 2024.
- The Ginormous Book List – this week’s Picture book Grade titles are #3843 – #3850 on The Ginormous.
MORE FEBRUARY 2024 NEW RELEASE SPOTLIGHTS
ABOUT THE SPOTLIGHT
The New Release Spotlight began in May 2016 as a way to help librarians keep up with the many new children’s and YA books that are released each week.
Each week, school librarian Leigh Collazo compiles the New Release Spotlight using a combination of Follett’s Titlewave, Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes and Noble. Recommended grade levels represent the range of grade levels recommended by professional book reviewers. See the full selection criteria here.
Inevitably, there are far more books that meet my criteria than can make it on the Spotlight. When I have to make the tough decisions on what to include, I just use my “librarian judgment.” Would I buy this book for my own library? Would my students want to read this book? Is the cover appealing? Does it fill a need?